Do Hacker Safe / McAfee Secure Badges Increase Sales?

The answer is yes - for many sites. But the question is does it increase sales for your business?

The only way you'll know for sure is to either perform an A/B split test or to implement it and compare sales reports before and after. The caveat to the latter method is you never really know if the sales and conversion uptick is simply seasonal - but an A/B test, if performed properly, will let you know for sure.

Inspired by Bryan Eisenberg's Always Be Testing: Complete Guide to Google Website Optimizer, a Get Elastic reader began testing the McAfee seal:

Here's what our reader reports:

The results of the split test are monitored by McAfee. Over 100,000 visitors have participated in the survey and 50% of the visitors see the image, 50% do not. After 3.5 weeks, the sales analysis summary shows an increase attributed to the certification of 4 – 6 % (it fluctuates daily).

After reading “Always be testing”, I set up bi-weekly meetings with our web team to select and implement split tests to optimize our sites for conversion. Next on the list is removing our order summary information from the checkout process until the order review page.

Joann.com reported a similar lift in sales (5.5%) from using the Hacker Safe seal (now acquired by McAfee) last fall as reported by Internet Retailer.

We'd love to hear your testing stories - with McAfee Secure or other tests. Did it lift conversion rate? Sales? Repeat orders? You can remain anonymous if you like, but please drop a comment on this post!